The 2010 draft / undrafted free agents (or how I learned to stop worrying and love Shanahan as GM)

[skinnyfan57]

Notables...

Draft Picks

OT Trent Williams: Looks to be solid LT for the next decade. A nice building block.

LB Perry Riley: Will get a shot at starting some day. We'll see.

WR Terrence Austin: Nice 7th round pick. Will be on the roster for a while.

C/G Eric Cook: Crossing fingers

OT Selvish Capers: Crossing fingers

Undrafted Free Agents

TE Logan Paulsen: I like this kid.

FS Anderson Russell: Was starting until he got hurt

RB Keiland Williams: We've definitely seen worse. Maybe if we had some linemen?

WR / KR Brandon Banks: Stud.

Traded Picks For

QB Donovan McNabb: Debatable but at the least will be our starting QB for a few years.

DE Adam Carriker: Decent. Great value for what we gave up. Will start again next season.

[Hail_Skins]

I love Bruce Allen as GM, but you can love whom ever you like!

[IrepDC]

I love Bruce Allen as GM, but you can love whom ever you like!

There's an article in breaking news about the Bucs being happy he is gone.

[mmzznnxx]

Nice Dr. Strangelove reference, my good man.

[Dukes and Skins]

Nice Dr. Strangelove reference, my good man.

Good catch didn't see that at first, I'm happy with what Bruce and Shanny have done so far, they are changing the culture of the team slowly but surely and thats what this team needs

[The Robert Griffin Experience]

There's an article in breaking news about the Bucs being happy he is gone.

lol REALLY?

Bruce Allen had four first round picks. Williams, Joseph, Adams and Talib. 2 of them are studs at their respective positions. One of them would have been a stud if not for injuries. Adams was a disappointment for his draft position, but he had 6 and 6.5 sacks with 2 FF and 2 INTs in two years; we'll never know how good he would have been in Chicago.

The Tampa Bay collapse in his last year was due SOLELY to Monte Kiffin quitting on his team with 4 games to go. Before that, they were 9-3.

I read one of those articles. The idea that Allen was trying to win with old talent is so incredibly laughable that anybody who thinks that just can't be taken seriously. Pray tell, is cutting John Lynch and letting Warren Sapp walk "winning with old talent"? Or dumping expensive Keyshawn Johnson to Dallas for (get this) Joey Galloway, who was actually really good for them? He did throw some bad money at veterans, but every coach has some mistakes in free agency.

[No_Pressure]

Dude.... Anthony Armstrong, UDFA, 31 catches, 642 yards, 2 TD's

[Dukes and Skins]

Dude.... Anthony Armstrong, UDFA, 31 catches, 642 yards, 2 TD's

He was on the practice squad last year though

[Truant]

Dude.... Anthony Armstrong, UDFA, 31 catches, 642 yards, 2 TD's

Well, Armstrong wasn't a UFA this year. True he was undrafted, but he's bounced around the league and the Xtreme football league.

Out of that list I see Williams and Banks as the only guys that have shown they belong in the NFL. We can toss Armstrong in there to make the list longer.

[Annonymous Source]

Also

Darryl Young

James Davis

And the young FA's he picked up off the scrap heap

Ryan Torain

Kory Lichtensteiger

and Artis Hicks

He has found a bunch of quality young depth on offense, the only problem is that not much of it it top tier frontline talent.

[acuratl1984]

i wouldnt call Artis Hicks a find nor young.

[Hitman21ST]

Jammal Brown

[IrepDC]

Well, Armstrong wasn't a UFA this year. True he was undrafted, but he's bounced around the league and the Xtreme football league.

Haha the XFL was the Vince McMahon wrestling league experiment thing. Armstrong was in the Intense Football League.

[skinnyfan57]

Jammal Brown

Brown was acquired with a 2011 pick.

I defy anyone to show me a draft that netted us as much in the last 20 years as this past one and they started without a 3rd round pick.

[SkinsTillIDie]

Let it be noted: our two most dynamic players on offense are Anthony Armstrong and Brandon Banks, players without a career NFL snap before this year.

Our best offensive lineman is a rookie.

Our most effective running back (Torain) was found in the offseason scrap heap.

We don't need high picks or high priced free agents to replace all 3 interior spots on the line, a #1 receiver, and a #1 running back. Shanahan will find undervalued players that fit our system, players with the right character, competitiveness, dedication to getting better and general work ethic. I would be shocked if we don't have two new valued contributors on offense next year that came from some of our late-round picks or were overlooked as free agent (or undrafted free agent).

When it comes to building an offense, trust in Shanahan. (which is why I believe we should be spending our first and second rounders on defense, but that's for another thread)

[Always A Commander Never A Captain]

Notables...

Draft Picks

OT Trent Williams: Looks to be solid LT for the next decade. A nice building block.

LB Perry Riley: Will get a shot at starting some day. We'll see.

WR Terrence Austin: Nice 7th round pick. Will be on the roster for a while.

C/G Eric Cook: Crossing fingers

OT Selvish Capers: Crossing fingers

Undrafted Free Agents

TE Logan Paulsen: I like this kid.

FS Anderson Russell: Was starting until he got hurt

RB Keiland Williams: We've definitely seen worse. Maybe if we had some linemen?

WR / KR Brandon Banks: Stud.

Traded Picks For

QB Donovan McNabb: Debatable but at the least will be our starting QB for a few years.

DE Adam Carriker: Decent. Great value for what we gave up. Will start again next season.

I think we could look back at this draft a few years from now, we'll see 3 pro-bowl players. Williams at LT, Banks for KR, and Riley for LB. I really like that we picked Riley. I'm an optimist, but when we get a legit NT and when Fletcher retires (no rush Fletch, we still love you), people will be talking about Riley.

Btw, we practically gave up nothing for Carriker. So saying we got great value for what we gave up is a massive massive understatement. Our 3-headed-monster at RB went from Johnson, Portis, Parker to Torain, Keiland Williams, and James Davis. We somehow got a very talented young trio of RB's...while spending zero draft picks. That is nice.

---------- Post added December-9th-2010 at 07:48 PM ----------

We don't need high picks or high priced free agents to replace all 3 interior spots on the line, a #1 receiver, and a #1 running back. Shanahan will find undervalued players that fit our system, players with the right character, competitiveness, dedication to getting better and general work ethic. I would be shocked if we don't have two new valued contributors on offense next year that came from some of our late-round picks or were overlooked as free agent (or undrafted free agent).

When it comes to building an offense, trust in Shanahan. (which is why I believe we should be spending our first and second rounders on defense, but that's for another thread)

I agree...sort of. You need high-ish picks on the line, and you need high picks on WR. That's just the way it works. If we want a gamechanging threat at WR, we need to draft one in the first day.

I believe there's a trend starting in the NFL where they are valuing interior lineman more and more. We'll have to get a lot luckier to find stud guys later on in the draft.

[justice98]

Just as a point of fact, I'm pretty sure Anderson Russell only started that one game because they were crippled by injuries at the safety spot that week. They had nobody else. I wouldn't suggest that he'd earned the starting job or anything.

And giving up nothing for Carrikker doesn't necessarily make it a good value. He's not any good. For something to be of value, it has to provide value. Being a warm body isn't value. Thom Loverro characterized Adam Carrikker perfectly by saying you wouldn't even know he was on the team if you didn't check the roster. When they talk about upgrading the defensive line, he's one of the spots they need upgrading. I know the scheme in St. Louis got blamed for why he wasn't successful, but the more you watch him play, you see it wasn't the scheme.

[Seabee1973]

I dont think you need to find stud first rounders at every offensive line position. we just need to draft smarter hopefully find a few Guards and tackles like dockery then make sure we have draft enough to replace them every so often

[GSF]

Let it be noted: our two most dynamic players on offense are Anthony Armstrong and Brandon Banks, players without a career NFL snap before this year.

Our best offensive lineman is a rookie.

Our most effective running back (Torain) was found in the offseason scrap heap.

We don't need high picks or high priced free agents to replace all 3 interior spots on the line, a #1 receiver, and a #1 running back. Shanahan will find undervalued players that fit our system, players with the right character, competitiveness, dedication to getting better and general work ethic. I would be shocked if we don't have two new valued contributors on offense next year that came from some of our late-round picks or were overlooked as free agent (or undrafted free agent).

When it comes to building an offense, trust in Shanahan. (which is why I believe we should be spending our first and second rounders on defense, but that's for another thread)

[sjinhan]

I agree...sort of. You need high-ish picks on the line, and you need high picks on WR. That's just the way it works. If we want a gamechanging threat at WR, we need to draft one in the first day.

I believe there's a trend starting in the NFL where they are valuing interior lineman more and more. We'll have to get a lot luckier to find stud guys later on in the draft.

i am going to disagree with you guys here. We need to BREAK the trend of trying to "get by" with interior lineman. We have been trying to do that for the longest time. Its time for us to put more resources into the interior.

Right now its past the point of trying to get lucky with our late picks for interior line. You can do that if you already have some servicable guys in those positions but we need to upgrade NOW. I wont be mad or disappoint if we use our 2nd or 3rd on a guard or center this year. The reason I am taking the first round pick out is because it will be that upper half of the round. If we trade down to the bottom then I said we take the best guard/center in the draft and try to finish the rebuilding job of our OL.

[PlayAction]

Thom Loverro characterized Adam Carrikker perfectly by saying you wouldn't even know he was on the team if you didn't check the roster. When they talk about upgrading the defensive line, he's one of the spots they need upgrading. I know the scheme in St. Louis got blamed for why he wasn't successful, but the more you watch him play, you see it wasn't the scheme.

Really? How do you get to isolate just his play during the TV broadcast? We know that the Skins don't have a functional NT to play their style of the 3-4. If you are complaining about the running plays you need to keep in mind that the NT has a huge responsibility in that regard. I've seen Carriker make plays in games. His responsibility in some cases may simply be to seal the edge so that the LB can come in to make the tackle. If you see him just take on blocks without tackling that doesn't mean he's not doing his job. In any case, the Skins gave up little for his services. I'll let the coaches decide whether he's a good fit or not. If he's cut next year or converts to backup duty we'll know the true evaluation.

As to the OP's comments regarding the 2010 draft and use of undrafted free agents - he should save the praise until we see whether these players can stay on the roster for another 2 years. Didn't Vinny crow about all of his draft picks making the roster and yet few were deemed of sufficient quality in years 2-3? Shanahan may just be making do with what he's got.

[LetThePointsSoar]

Am I the only one who thinks of Dane Cook when I see pics of the Kool Aid man?

Sorry to get off topic, back on point...to the OP, I actually agree wholeheartedly. Everybody gets so caught up in the day to day, week to week, and we fail to realize what a pile of **** Shanny & Bruce inherited. We've made some good strides this year, and hopefully the trend continues in next year's draft and free agency as well...

[Always A Commander Never A Captain]

i am going to disagree with you guys here. We need to BREAK the trend of trying to "get by" with interior lineman. We have been trying to do that for the longest time. Its time for us to put more resources into the interior.

Right now its past the point of trying to get lucky with our late picks for interior line. You can do that if you already have some servicable guys in those positions but we need to upgrade NOW. I wont be mad or disappoint if we use our 2nd or 3rd on a guard or center this year. The reason I am taking the first round pick out is because it will be that upper half of the round. If we trade down to the bottom then I said we take the best guard/center in the draft and try to finish the rebuilding job of our OL.

I think you read my post wrong, or I phrased it wrong or something. We're both saying that we need to spend higher picks on interior of the o-line, especially since I think teams are starting to scout them more heavily and then draft them higher.